I use “Instead” rather than the diva cup mostly because I find it more comfortable and you can have clean intercourse with them. However, I will say it is a big messier than the diva cup since you have to do more “digging” upon removal. As I’ve gotten older, my period has become heavier and I will say that it has neverl leaked even during the heaviest days.
When inserted, they sit just above the vaginal opening. When you have a bowel movement, you may feel your cup push down and peek out the vaginal opening, but it will move back into place when you’re done. The vaginal muscles are extremely strong, and the shape of the thing works with the muscles to stay in place.
They hold about an ounce. Their dimensions vary, but my Keeper is 55mm (about 2.5 inches) long and it’s largest diameter is about 44mm (1 3/4 inches) unsquished. Not counting the “tab” which I cut off completely last month (I had trimmed it previously, but I was worried that cutting it off completely would ruin it somehow. It didn’t, and it’s much more comfortable totally gone.) If you’re used to tampons, the Cup looks frighteningly large at first.
A few drops sometimes land on the toilet seat. Any significant spillage spills into the toilet. I wouldn’t remove it while sitting on Grandma’s damask sofa or anything, but in a bathroom, it’s perfectly within the bounds of civilized living.
I haven’t had much to worry about with “inserted correctly”, although other women and websites talk about inserting and turning to make a seal. Me, I get it in by basically pinching the top and shoving it in until the natural slipperiness of the vaginal wall, the tone of the musculature and the “bullet” shape of the device all collude to just suck the sucker in and into place.
Awesomeness. I did have the “OMG! It’s stuck!!!” panic the first couple of times. It wasn’t.
The thing is, that’s really dangerous to do with tampons. While a lot of the panic about TSS (Toxic Shock Syndrome) has quieted, the health risks are real. TSS is basically a Staph infection in the vagina, and it can be deadly and quick. (Remember the “flesh eating bacteria” media hype a few years ago? That was Staph on the skin. Y’know MRSA, the current media hysteria? Also Staph. Staph ain’t nice.)
TSS develops when something dry - like the edge or side of a tampon - sits up against the vaginal wall. As you move and it moves, you risk getting tiny microscopic tears in your vaginal wall from the fibers in the tampon. Staph bacteria can get in those tears, multiply, and cause an infection. This can lead pretty quickly to toxins from the bacteria moving into the blood stream and causing sepsis.
Now, TSS rates have gone down dramatically in the last 30 years, it’s true. Part of that is because tampon manufacturers have stopped using superabsorbent materials in their tampons - because the mechanism is dry stuff causing tears, the drier your tampon is, the higher the risk, and also because the FDA started regulating tampon absorbency so women could buy the lowest “strength” tampon they need. But leaving a tampon in for 12 hours is still risky behavior.
The menstrual cup, on the other hand, isn’t dry. It very quickly gets a layer of mucus on it from the vaginal wall. It’s also not fibrous, so there’s nothing that can tear you. You can leave it in as long as you like, although most people like to empty it and rinse it once a day.
It’s really hard to grok it without doing it, I agree. But it just is. The cup is fairly stiff, and it’s pointing end down when you’re on the toilet. You just pull down and it’s still upright. You can lift it up between your legs without spilling because most of the time it’s not full - most women lose about an ounce or two of fluid their whole cycle, so theoretically, the Cup could hold almost all your period at once. If you’re taking it out to rinse once or twice a day, it’s never more than 1/3 full, unless you’re a heavy bleeder. I have filled my cup a few times, and when that happens, I do spill a little, but since it’s into the toilet, it’s no big deal. I’ve had one leak in the six or so periods I’ve had since I started, and that was an uncommonly heavy period for me, and during overnight use. I admit, I still wear a pad because I don’t entirely trust it yet, but I’m thinking of switching to Gladrags so I can wash and reuse them. I don’t really want to wash bloody rags, but since 98% of them won’t be bloody, it seems to make more sense than throwing away used but blood free Always with Wings every morning.
Then you’re a perfect candidate for the Cup, IMHO.
Trust us! Hey, can you *really *understand how a baby’s head can fit through the cervix and the vaginal opening? I can’t, and I’ve seen it with my own eyes! The vagina’s capable of much more amazing feats than holding onto and releasing a little rubber cup with control and precision. 
Thanks for bumping the thread. I’m glad your sister appreciated the gift!
I bought a Diva cup thanks to this thread back in December. I’ve used it for one cycle now. I had a bit of trouble getting a seal and so had a bit of leaking, but I am confident that I will get the hang of it soon.
Another convert! And once I am 100% used to it, I will talk about it with a friend who I am pretty sure will be interested.
Another DivaCup newbie here. I bought one through Amazon after reading a discussion here about it months ago – I’ve been an OB user for years.
It was hard to get in at first, I’d try in the shower at the start of a cycle and it was really awkward and sensitive, and so I’d just give up and revert to my tried ‘n’ true.
I decided to give it another go after reading this thread and finally figured the insertion out. I’m in the middle of my cycle now and it’s been really great so far. I’ve only been changing it in the shower 2-3 times a day for fear of making a huge mess otherwise. I’m on a heavy flow day now, and noticed the cup was about 1/3 full in only a couple of hours. I have some cramping, but I’ve eased up on my Aleve intake.
I’ve experienced the panic too: The first time I went to retrieve it I couldn’t find it right away (then I remembered to bear down, and hello!). I also noticed the instructions said not to clean it in peroxide because it would break down the silicone or something. Can this cup really last for years?
Thanks for all the candid discussion here – I concur with the advantages of the DivaCup. Did anyone else get a Diva pin with theirs?
I think I’m convinced. I had it in all day yesterday and actually forgot about it for hours. The extraction is still kind of painful and awkward, but the last time was a lot quicker. It’ll take more practice before I’m willing to cut off the whole pull tab, but I trimmed it and it’s only uncomfortable sitting for an extended period. And I’m returning the batch of tampons and pads I just inconveniently ordered from drugstore.com! (Even if I change my mind after the next period, I can always buy more.)
So, I used the Moon Cup for the last 2 days of my cycle, and I think next time I’ll ‘get it’. Just the overnight and all day factors are convincing enough, really. My flow is only heavy for 2 days. My only fear is doing it at work, where there are stalls instead of the privacy of home. But I’d probably only have to empty it once a day there on the two heavy days.
I haven’t tried my Glad Rags pantyliner yet (must wash) but I think it’s got to be at least as comfortable as the current liners.
Another hearty thank you to everyone for the tips and encouragement! I look forward to less waste, less $ and all day protection. (I sound like a commercial.)
The key (for me) to getting it out without spilling is to remember to keep it upright. If you try to tilt it at all, you’ll spill. It is tricky because you normally try to follow your body’s natural direction getting it out (and a little panic abut it being stuck doesn’t help, either), but I find if I concentrate on keeping it upright, I never spill.
Yes! This makes it much easier to remove. My ‘pull tab’ is cut all the way off and it gets hard to grasp on occasion. Bearing down makes it come out easily.
Inserting properly was my biggest hurdle. I do a fold, insert, make sure it is open properly by making sure its shape is round and I can spin it, then I give it a little push up and there it is.
My period is weird, as I ease into perimenopause. It only lasts 4 days, but I do 75% of my bleeding on my second day. I have had my Diva Cup fill up on that second day, but it happens every time so I can plan on it, and plan on emptying my cup more often that day.
Another recent convert here! I think that anyone on the fence about the cup should try one, because it really will change your life for those few days a month. I was a little bit apprehensive about the insertion/removal but it’s really pretty easy.
I’ve been trying to figure out how to bring it up to my friends… it’s sort of a weird topic to introduce into conversation. But I want them to experience the menstrual cup revolution!
The Keeper (latex) and The Mooncup (silicone rubber) offer a 3 month money back guarantee, by the way. I know $35 is a lot of cash to spend on an experiment.
I got my Diva Cup for $18.00, including shipping, from iherb.com. When you buy from them, you get a $5 coupon code you can hand out to 1st-time customers. If anyone wants my code, feel free to PM me. (full disclosure, I get some kind of customer credit for others using the code, but I really couldn’t care less about it.)